The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 11-327550, filed on Nov. 17, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium having programs for generating and displaying game images stored therein, a game display method and a game apparatus.
2. Description of Background Information
Recently, video games have been developed, utilizing advanced technologies. In the video games, objects to be displayed, such as people, machines, tools, buildings, backgrounds, etc., (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cobjectsxe2x80x9d) are arrayed or disposed in line with the progress of a game in a three-dimensional virtual reality space. Images expressing the respective arrayed objects are generated and displayed on the display screen.
In a video game, image generating processes are repeated multiple times a second, wherein still images consisting of multiple frames are generated in a second (hereinafter, called xe2x80x9cframe imagexe2x80x9d). It is ideal that the generated frame images are displayed one after another on the display screen in a frame image display cycle (hereinafter, called a xe2x80x9cframe cyclexe2x80x9d) which is the shortest cycle of frame-by-frame display changes.
In order to execute display in a frame cycle, it is necessary that the respective frame images are generated in one frame cycle. However, in a case where there are a number of objects to be displayed, the processing load in the frame image generation will be increased. As a result, there arises a case where a frame image cannot be generated in one frame cycle, depending upon the contents of the frame image. If the frame image cannot be generated within one frame cycle, object blinking may occur.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a game display method, a game apparatus, and recording medium which are suitable for displaying clear images even though the generation processing load is increased.
In order to solve the abovementioned problems, a game display method according to the invention comprises a game displaying method for executing frame-by-frame display in synchronization with reference signals generated at a fixed cycle, which includes the steps of judging a processing load in response to an operating input; adjusting a synchronization timing between the reference signals generated at said fixed cycle and the frame-by-frame display in response to a processing load judged by said judging step; and executing frame-by-frame display at said synchronization timing adjusted in said adjusting step.
According the game display method of the invention, it is possible to adjust the changeover cycle of frame images in compliance with a processing load.
In detail, the executing step generates images to be frame-displayed, at a synchronized timing adjusted by the adjusting step, and the executing step omits generation of images to be frame-displayed on the basis of the corresponding reference signal for which no synchronization timing is secured by the adjusting step.
Another preferred embodiment of a game display method according to the invention is a game display method which includes generating a plurality of frame images constituting a video game one after another; displaying a plurality of frame images generated by said generating step by changing over said plurality of frame images; predicting the time of generation of the corresponding frame image when said plurality of frame images are, respectively, generated by said generating step; and determining the game progressing degree to be advanced by the corresponding frame image, depending on the time of generation of the corresponding frame image predicted by said predicting step.
According to the game display method of the invention, when the game progressing degree of the respective frame images can be determined based on the predicted values of the varying generation times, a highly recommended game progression rate is possible.
Still another preferred embodiment of the game display method of the invention is a game display method which includes sequentially generating a plurality of frame images constituting a video game; displaying a plurality of frame images generated by said generating step by changing over said plurality of frame images; measuring the time of generation of the corresponding immediately preceding frame image when the respective immediately preceding frame images of said plurality of frame images are generated by said generating step; and determining the game progressing degree to be advanced by the corresponding frame image, depending on the time of generation of the immediately preceding frame image of the corresponding frame images, which is measured by said measuring step when the respective plurality of frame images are generated by said generating step.
Further, another preferred embodiment of the game display method of the invention is a game display method which includes sequentially generating a plurality of frame images, which constitute a video game in synchronization with the completion of generation of frame images preceding the respective frame images; displaying a plurality of frame images generated by said generating step so that said plurality of generated frame images are changed over and displayed in synchronization with appointed clock signals having a frame image display cycle being the minimum duration of display changeover of said plurality of frame images after the completion of generation of said plurality of frame images; predicting the time of generation of the corresponding frame image when said plurality of respective frame images are generated; and determining the game progressing degree to be advanced by the corresponding frame image, depending on the time of generation of the corresponding predicted frame image.
A recording medium according to the invention is a recording medium readable by a computer, in which programs execute frame-by-frame display in synchronization with reference signals generated in a fixed cycle. The programs cause said computer to judge a processing load in response to an operation input; to adjust a synchronization timing between the reference signals generate at a fixed cycle and frame-by-frame display in response to said judged processing load; and to execute frame-by-frame display at said adjusted synchronization timing.
According to the recording medium of the invention, it is possible to obtain a recording medium which is provided with stored programs capable of adjusting a changeover cycle of frame images in compliance with a processing load.
In further detail, the frame-by-frame display execution generates an image to be frame-displayed at said adjusted synchronization timing, and omits generation of an image to be frame-displayed by said corresponding reference signal if any reference signal for which no synchronization timing is secured exists.
Another preferred embodiment of the recording medium according to the invention is a recording medium readable by a computer, in which programs for a video game executed by said computer are stored, wherein said programs cause said computer to generate a plurality of frame images one after another, which constitute a video game; to display said generated plurality of frame images by changing the same; to predict the time of generation of the corresponding frame images when said plurality of frame images are, respectively, generated; and to determine the degree of progress to be advanced by said corresponding frame images, depending on the time of generation of the predicted corresponding frame images.
In further detail, for prediction of the generation time, the generation time of the corresponding frame images expressed by using a frame image display cycle being the minimum duration of changeover of display of said frame images, which are displayed, as the unit is predicted as the generation time of said frame images.
Still another preferred embodiment of the recording medium according to the invention is a recording medium readable by a computer, in which programs for a video game executed by said computer are stored. The programs cause said computer to generate frame images constituting a video game one after another; to display said generated frame images by changing the same; to measure the time of generation of the immediately preceding frame image when the preceding frame images are generated, and to determine the degree of progress of a game to be advanced by the corresponding game, depending on the time of generation of said measured immediately preceding frame image of the corresponding frame images when said frame images are, respectively, generated.
Further another preferred embodiment of the recording medium according to the invention is a recording medium readable by a computer, in which programs for a video game executed by said computer are stored. The programs cause said computer to generate frame images constituting a video game one after another in synchronization with the completion of generation of the frame image preceding the respective frame images; to display said generated frame images so as to change over and display said generated frame images in synchronization with appointed clock signals having a frame image display cycle being the minimum duration of display changeover of said frame images after the completion of generation of each of said frame images; to predict the time of generation of the corresponding frame images when said frame images are generated; and to determine the degree of progress of a game to be advanced by the corresponding frame images, depending on the time of generation of said corresponding frame images predicted by said predicting step.
In further detail, in generation of frame images, a next frame image is generated in synchronization with said clock signal after the completion of each of said frame images.
A game apparatus according to the invention is a game apparatus for executing frame-by-frame display in synchronization with a reference signal generated at a fixed cycle. The apparatus is provided with means for judging a processing load in response to an operating input; means for adjusting the synchronization timing with the reference signal generated at a fixed cycle and frame-by-frame display, in response to the processing load judged by said judging means; and means for executing frame-by-frame display at the adjusted synchronized timing.
In further detail, said executing means generates an image to be frame-displayed at the adjusted synchronized timing. Also, the executing means omits generation of an image to be frame-displayed by said reference signal where there is a reference signal for which the synchronization timing is not secured by said adjusting means.
Further, another preferred embodiment of the game apparatus according to the invention is a game apparatus, which is provided with means for generating frame images which constitute a video game one after another in synchronization with the completion of generation of frame images preceding the respective frame images; means for displaying said generated frame images so that said generated frame images are changed over and displayed in synchronization with appointed clock signals having a frame image display cycle being the minimum duration of display changeover of said frame images after the completion of generation of each of said frame images by said generating means; means for predicting the time of generation of the corresponding frame image when said plurality of frame images are respectively generated; and means for determining the game progressing degree to be advanced by the corresponding frame image, depending on the time of generation of the corresponding frame image predicted by said predicting means.
According to the invention, it is possible to adjust the changeover cycle of frame images on the basis of a processing load of a video game.